00s Movie Review - The Invention of Lying

Director: Ricky Gervais, Matthew Robinson

Genre: Comedy/ Romance

Runtime: 100 minutes

Year: 2009

Starring: Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Rob Lowe, Jonah Hill, Jeffrey Tambor, Tina Fey, Jason Bateman, Louis C.K

Description: A comedy set in a world where no one has ever lied, until a writer seizes the opportunity for personal gain.

I WATCHED THIS MOVIE FOR MY 2022 MOVIE CHALLENGE.
WEEK 26: A ROMANTIC MOVIE 

Review: The film is set in a world just like our, but with the only difference: mankind never “invented” lying. People just have jobs, children, a house, a car. But in the meantime they are 100% honest with each other. And one man, writer Mark, one day is somehow able to lie and uses it to help himself and others. Comedian Ricky Gervais wrote the story and directed the film. But also star in it.

I’ve always liked Gervais’ humor and I enjoy watching him in films. “The invention of Lying” is a fun film, with jokes that may or may not work for you. For me it did most of the time. I really liked the premise of the film and it played out well.

Rating: 3 / 5

10s Movie Review - Paul

Director: Greg Mottola
Genre: Comedy/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 104 minutes
Year: 2011
Starring: Simon Pegg , Nick Frost, Seth Rogen, Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Sigourney Weaver, Blythe Danner, Jane Lynch, John Carroll Lynch, Jesse Plemons, Jeffrey Tambor, David Koechner, Joe Lo Truglio

Description: Two English comic book geeks (Nick Frost, Simon Pegg) traveling across the U.S. encounter an alien (Seth Rogen) outside Area 51.

Review: Simon Pegg is a great comedic actor, Nick Frost is hilarious. But they are best when they are together. So seeing them in a comedy about an alien, not directed by Edgar Wright, excites us. It’s not as good as any of the Cornetto films, but “Paul” is definitely funny enough to watch and rewatch.
“Paul” follows two British nerds, Graeme and Clive, who saved money to go to Comic Con. On their way, they want to spot some UFO’s. They bump into Paul, an alien, who has been on planet earth for already 60 years. Graeme and Clive decide to take Paul on their road trip. Of course that’s not a very good idea.
Like I stated before, Pegg and Frost aren’t working with Edgar Wright this time. Greg Mottola is the director and he knows how to make a buddy movie work. Just look at “Superbad”. Here he has to combine the British humor from Pegg and Frost with the typical American humor from Seth Rogen. I can say, that I miss Wright, because it’s a little but to ordinary. But “Paul” is still a very enjoyable watch with lots of successful jokes. It’s a very good comedy. And Seth Rogen is a great choice for voicing Paul.
I really enjoyed “Paul”, it’s a funny film, with three excellent comedic performances.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Tangled

Director: Nathan Greno, Byron Howard
Genre: Animation/ Fantasy/ Family/ Adventure
Runtime: 90 minutes
Year: 2010
Starring: Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi, Donna Murphy, Ron Perlman, Brad Garrett, Jeffrey Tambor

Description: The magically long-haired Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) has spent her entire life in a tower, but now that a runaway thief (Zachary Levi) has stumbled upon her, she is about to discover the world for the first time, and who she really is.

Review: With “Tangled” Disney seemed to be going for the classic Disney story, including magic, a captured princess, a thief with a heart of gold, a castle and great songs.  
“Tangled” is based on the fairytale of Rapunzel and not exactly the textbook example of a literal fairytale adaptation. The creators have rearranged and adapted elements in such a way as o create a pleasant balance between a classic fairytale and a modern adventure, seasoned with a large dose of satire.
As a baby, Princess Rapunzel is kidnapped by an old woman and locked into a tower because of the magical effects of her hair. Growing up in captivity with extremely long hair, young Rapunzel dreams of a life fir herself. That more or less offers itself when bandit Flynn Ryder comes to hide from the authorities in her tower. Together they venture to escape, where they are hunted by the royal guard, a vengeful horse, a pair of Ryder’s former colleagues and, of course, the evil ‘mother’.
The fleshing out of the characters is refreshing. Although the princess is not as otherworldly as one might expect, her innocence and girlish enthusiasm work disarmingly. The newfound freedoms drive Rapunzel to euphoria, but meanwhile she frets like a small child over her supposed betrayal of the person for whom she harbors a somewhat bizarre maternal love. The protagonist is not the usual nasty witch either, but primarily a highly narcissistic, meddlesome mother who is blind to her less beautiful traits. Observing her obsession with eternal youthfulness, it is probably no coincidence that she resembles Cher. Flynn Ryser, who is not a prince, but a thief) delightfully counterparts Rapunzel’s neuroses, but the absolute starring role is reserved for Rapunzel’s pet Pascal: a silent chameleon with a genius facial expression.
“Tangled” is not animated in the traditional way, but uses modern computer animations. Its all beautiful, very colorful and overwhelming at times. But never impose themselves in an effort to be the best in show. Because of its satirical tone and humor, the film feels more like a Pixar film, but with the fairytale theme it is most definitely a Disney movie. And it will also be a classic one over time.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Reviews - The Death fo Stalin

Director: Armando Iannucci
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 106 minutes
Year: 2017
Starring: Steve Buscemi, Simon Russell Beale, Rupert Friend, Jason Isaacs, Jeffrey Tambor, Andrea Riseborogh, Olga Kurylenko, Paddy Considine, Michael Palin, Tom Brooke

Description: Follows the Soviet dictator's last days and depicts the chaos of the regime after his death.

Review: It’s a rather bizarre story, that probably a lot of people don’t even know, but it’s worth it: the death of Sovjet dictator Stalin. Under his command, hundred thousand political opponents were executed or send to the Goelag. It seems that six to nine million people lost their lives under the command of Stalin. No wonder that, when Stalin was found unconscious in his office, help didn’t come running. With this starting point, director Armando Iannucci brings us the somewhay genius “The Death of Stalin”. A tragic comedy.
After Stalin was founf, it took another three days before he was actually dead. The stories of how he was pronounced dead are legendary. But the fight for power after the dictator’s death is also very interesting. These two subjects center this story. Iannucci based his screenplay on a graphic novel by Fabien Nury. And the way this film is styled is pretty remarkable and interesting. All the dialogue is in English and all the actors speak in their own accents, British, American.
The film is also filled with beautiful observations and detail. And in a dark way, this makes the film funnier. Especially the fight for power, after Stalin’s death, were there is a lot of betrayal and stabbing each other in the back. “The Death of Stalin” is sometimes painfully funny. Because you realize that most of it actually happened. The absurd fight for power and they way some situations go.
It’s not a film everyone will see the humor of, but I think for people who enjoy learning about history, it’s a film to watch.

Rating: 4 / 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 89: The D Train

Director: Andrew Mogel, Jarrad Paul
Genre: Comedy/ Drama
Runtime: 101 minutes
Year: 2015
Starring: Jack Black, James Marsden, Kathryn Hahn, Jeffrey Tambor, Dermot Mulroney, Mike White

Description: The head of a high school reunion committee (Jack Black) travels to Los Angeles to track down the most popular guy from his graduating class (James Marsden) and convince him to go to the reunion.

Review: Jack Black has his ups and downs. Well, “The D Train” is a movie that not a lot of people might have heard of, and it’s better that it stays that way. It’s not one of his best film. I don’t really know what it is, really.
Dan Landsman is the head of the high school reunion committee. He wasn’t very popular back then and he still isn’t. He still wants to be accepted by others. He decides to track down Oliver Lawless, the most popular guy in school when they were young.
The film takes some surprising turns, but they are somewhat hard to believe and understand. And the film also got on my nerves for some reason. There is a reason why this film played a limited time in theaters.
No, “The D Train” is a movie you can better skip.

Rating: 2/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2017 - # 58: The Accountant

Director: Gavin O’Connor
Genre: Action/ Crime/ Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 128 minutes
Year: 2016
Starring: Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, Jon Bernthal, Jeffrey Tambor, John Lithgow, Jean Smart

Description: As a math savant (Ben Affleck) uncooks the books for a new client, the Treasury Department closes in on his activities and the body count starts to rise.

Review: Christian Wolff is a extraordinary accountant. He is a magician with numbers, but also autistic and socially a bit clumsy. He has several criminals as his clients and for that reason he thought himself some skills as well. When Wolff is hired by a new client, to discover if money is disappearing from his company, everything goes a little different as planned.
I’m not the world biggest Ben Affleck fan, he is sometimes even a reason NOT to watch a film. But he really surprised me and I found him somewhat brilliant as Christian Wolff. I also enjoyed Anna Kendrick and J.K. Simmons.
Director Gavin O’Connor, who also directed “Warrior”, made a very good and solid thriller. The film keeps your attention from beginning till end. There is a good combination between thriller, action and even a little humor.
“The Accountant” really surprised me, I didn’t expect much at first.

Rating: 4/ 5